VoIP on Optimus for Dummies

[RoboBot]

VOIP was a real pain for me and I can understand all the confusion that is abound over the topic. I didn't understand the process until I worked through it myself.

Here is a step by step, as clear as I can make. I've used IPKall and SIPGate, I prefer SIPGate. All IPKall and SIPGate do is to give you a free VOIP Phone number that can work with google voice. Google voice doesn't work as a free VOIP service by itself on the phone. It uses minutes, if used by itself. Why, I don't know.

Anyway, on to the show.


1. Sign up at SipGate.com for a SIPGate One account. This is free. (Don't worry about what number they give you. You don't use it as a contact number.)

2. Find the SIP Credentials from your SipGate account:

Login > Settings > SIP Credentials.

You want the SIP-ID and SIP-Password. Write them both down, as well as your SIPGate number.

3. Sign up for a google voice account. The number you are assigned or pick HERE is the number you will give people and call from, hence the SIPGate number not mattering much.

4. If you run Froyo, download SIPDroid or CSipSimple, if you run Gingerbread, the SIP app is native on the phone. The apps functions as a catcher for the data calls, so that your phone rings on an incoming call (and they send out the outgoing calls). They talk with the VOIP provider (IPKall, SipGate) and go into action when the VOIP Provider says "Hey! Incoming Phone Call!"

5. If you are using the Gingerbread native app go to:
Settings > Call Settings > Accounts > Add Account

Username is your SIP-ID, Password is your SIP-Password, Server is Sipgate.com

Go back to Settings > Call Settings > Accounts and enable the Receive incoming calls box.

6. Go to Google Voice and log in with your Google Voice account info.

Settings > Add another phone

Enter your SIPGate phone number.

Verify the number (make sure your wifi or 3G on the phone is working).

You will get a call from Google Voice, enter the 2 digits that Google Voice shows you to verify the phone.

Congrats, you just got your first VOIP phone call.

But, that's not all, you need to make outgoing calls too.

7. Download Google Voice and Google Voice Callback.

8. Open Google Voice, link it to your Google Voice account.

Set it to make the calls whenever possible.

9. Open Google Voice Callback, set it to make all calls when possible.

You now should be able to make incoming and outgoing calls with Google Voice and your new SIP account.

======

After that last step things turn more towards preference.

If you have your SIPGate number checked as a number, you will receive incoming calls on your phone from people that call your Google Voice number. Basically, they call Google Voice, the call gets kicked over to your SIP number and your SIP program grabs the call and you get a ring on your phone.

I don't like that method. I have my phone set to kill WIFI and 3G when the screen is off, so you can imagine, I would miss a lot of calls.

Instead, I have my Virgin Mobile Cell # checked so that when people call my google voice number, I can have the option of picking up or letting them go to Google Voicemail. If I routed my calls to the SIP number, I would miss them. The SIP program only works over a data connection. My data turns off when the screen is off.

This last part is where you can tinker. The above steps should help you get the VOIP account set up in the first place. Getting the blocks together in a functional way was the hard part for me. Once that happens, it all becomes a lot more clear.

Play around a bit and don't give up. It does work, I swear.

And good luck!

 

[scootincivic]

Ive got one for you all..
I'm running stock+x on my V..
Everything is setup as stated from countless users here..
I can make calls as well as receive them with no min. being used on my cell or from Sipgate..

Heres the kicker..
Either when a call is made or sent my phone goes into 'VIB-SILENT' mode..
However I can still here my ringtone if a call is sent to my handset..
I have hit the power button to turn off Vib mode and turned the sound on however no audio is being heard from my headset from another caller..
Hmmmm~

Another issue (as Ive seen stated elsewhere) is that Im also not able to here voice from the other caller however they can here me just fine..
I have hit the 'menu' key to change the audio for mic as well as speaker to max with in GV..
Yet Im still not able to hear audio from the other phone..

Yet the last issue is if a call is made to my handset the call keeps ringing even though it shows that I picked it up through my handset..
Ive played with all the settings through GV,CallBack & Csipsimple..
I have even looked at the 'Expert' settings with in Csipsimple and all seems as it should be..

Just open to ideas on how to resolve this issue as I for one would use this service for legit reason as I do not have cell coverage in my area and this would help a great deal if I can get it to work right..

 

[theblastizard]

How well does this work and is there anything similiar for SMS messages? I was thinking of switching over to VM and I get decent coverage at College but when I go home for the summer I live in an area with no Sprint/VM Coverage for a few months and I don't want to miss any calls/texts while I'm there.

 

[NOMster]

Will you have wifi?

 

[theblastizard]

I'll have wifi. That's why I was asking.

 

[Eollie]

With all the hassles and BS with these free voip services i will stick to the 1200 minutes plan for 43 dollars,what would some of you do if this cheap plan was not available,or if the raise the price.

Oh I dunno suck it up and pay the price?

I hear VoIP over 3G really blows due to high jitter and latency. That it's like talking on a 2-way radio.

What has your experience been with VoIP on the Optimus V and Virgin 3G?

It really depends on my main signal. When Im somewhere I have three or more bars Ihave just a slight delay and if Im on wifi its just like I was calling from my pc.


Seriously if you follow the guild posted at how to geek and use any of the sip softphones for our phone its real easy. Its about as hard as inputing your google account info when you first used the phone.

 

[Eollie]

scootincivic I think it was said before but it sounds like your problem is caused by a codec. I think you said you have tried both cipsimple and sipdroid and have the same problem on both apps right?

If you havent used csipsimple grab it and try it out. Which setup are you using? PBXES or the sipgate one?

Your ringing problem is just weird. I think there is a setting you are overlooking. Dont hold me to that but its just a guess. Ive had problems before with things and thought I was catching every thing and later realized there was a menu I somehow missed that had the option I need to toggle.

Also all these problems might be just associated with the stock rom having a bug in it that causes sip softphones to be ******ed. I havent heard of anything but maybe its there.

 

[thexxoffspring]

im not really having the best luck with Sipgate. where else can i get a SIP?

 

[Eollie]

im not really having the best luck with Sipgate. where else can i get a SIP?

What seems to be the problem?

Yeah you could use pbxes.org and ipkall, but some users are experiencing issues with them cancelling the account after 30 days.

 

[thexxoffspring]

What seems to be the problem?

Yeah you could use pbxes.org and ipkall, but some users are experiencing issues with them cancelling the account after 30 days.

my minutes are being used when they are feeling like being used lol. i made outgoing and incoming calls directly on/off my sipgate number last night and no minutes were used. yet i am missing minutes from when i was using google call back.

 

[scootincivic]

scootincivic I think it was said before but it sounds like your problem is caused by a codec. I think you said you have tried both cipsimple and sipdroid and have the same problem on both apps right?

If you havent used csipsimple grab it and try it out. Which setup are you using? PBXES or the sipgate one?

I have only used Cipsimple..
well Im able to hear the other caller (as in Advance settings I disabled the music app hack-as I have 2 other music apps)..

Everything is working fine now except for one major thing..

Im getting double calles when another phone calles my cell through my GV account..
Im sure its just a number forwarding issue and Ill double check my settings on my accounts..

Thanks for the help~

 

[thexxoffspring]

WOOT! got this guide to work http://forum.androidcentral.com/optimus-v/74651-how-yet-another-voip-guide.html

woot!

 

[theblastizard]

Does this set up handle SMS in any way? I'm considering getting one but when I leave college I won't have service at my house and would have to use Wifi.

 

[Takenover83]

Google Voice has free SMS. But on the $25 plan on VM you get unlimited SMS.

 

[scootincivic]

Google Voice has free SMS. But on the $25 plan on VM you get unlimited SMS.

True but for those that do not have a cell signal using SMS via GV with sip is great for those that can only get WiFi..
Then again why not use Email or Gtalk in that case is another thing~

EDIT: Anyone know of some good settings to make the audio delay less?..
I'm on WiFi and theirs still about a 5sec delay from my caller..

 

[Eollie]

True but for those that do not have a cell signal using SMS via GV with sip is great for those that can only get WiFi..
Then again why not use Email or Gtalk in that case is another thing~

EDIT: Anyone know of some good settings to make the audio delay less?..
I'm on WiFi and theirs still about a 5sec delay from my caller..

Sadly I dont think there is a setting to fix that. I get it on my laptop using gmail to make calls I think its just a wireless/3g thing we will have to live with for a bit.

ETA**
Guys help those that helped you by giving thanks to the post that helped you out.
It makes it easier for us to know what info is helping people.

 

[Pghosty]

I love the phone but 300 minutes is not enough for me. I have struggled to find a guide to setting up a functional hassle free way to make calls using the data connection. I would appreciate it if someone would treat me like the idiot that I am and provide a step by step guide to making and receiving free or low cost calls on this phone. Please don't assume prior knowledge as this is my first smart phone. Thanks in advance.

I use TIKL. Free calls as long as the other user as TIKL its like a walkie talkie feature. Its on the iphone as well. type in TIKL in the droid market. works great!

 

[yoramsk]

ROBOBOT, thans so much for the detailed guide. I am going to give it another shot with this.

 

[scootincivic]

I use TIKL. Free calls as long as the other user as TIKL its like a walkie talkie feature. Its on the iphone as well. type in TIKL in the droid market. works great!

I use Tikl as well.
However a set up like this makes your phone run and act like a normal phone would.

Finally got sipgate working well with csipsimple & google voice on my end.
If anyone has issues its more then likely Csipsimple settings that are the issue.
Been playing with it for about 2 days strait now and it finally works as it should in WiFi & 3g (haven't tested on 2g yet).

Thanks to all that helped out.
If there's a demand for it I will post my settings.
Just note to go into expert mode in your Csipsimple on your VoIP account as that's where many issues can be resolved.

Plus reading the Wikki for Csipsimple helps a great deal as well.

Sent from my Optimus V vai Tapatalk

 

[themsn]

here's a question for VOIP on the optimus.

My setup is with IPKALL, google voice (just to call forward), and sipsorcery and then csipsimple on my phone.

the problem is that i can't hear the other party, but they can hear me fine.

(I turned on ICE and STUN on the settings of csipsimple to try and fix it, but still no luck)

csipsimple says that certain devices' audio stacks can be messed up so, so far I've tried bumblebee rom and harmonia rom but still no luck.

the interesting thing is that I have the exact same set up on my Viewsonic G Tablet, and it works fine (granted it is over wifi and not 3g).
(some may say that 3g is too slow, but my home wifi is 756k which is slower than the 3g on the optimus 1.5-2mb here in NYC).

any help or pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. thank you.